Published: Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 10:21 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 10:21 p.m.

When "Under the Dome" wrapped production on its second season last week, Brooke Barnhill was likely one of the last people off the set.

Barnhill is the CBS summer series' location manager and has been since the show's first episode shot in Wilmington February of last year.

As the location manager, Barnhill, who also worked locations on all nine seasons of "One Tree Hill" and the film "Safe Haven," is in charge of scouting locations throughout the region for each episode. She also handles contracts for the locations and manages use of the sites.

Barnhill's job on "Under the Dome" begins long before the cameras fire up. In fact, when production in March began on the new season, currently airing 10 p.m. Mondays on CBS, Barnhill had already been hard at work since January lining up locations.

"It all begins with the script. I will sit and read the script and try and get a feel for the character and what's happening in that scene," Barnhill said. "I just take it from there. I'll drive around and try and match that character and the scene to where they want to shoot."

Among the prominent locations that Barnhill has offered up to the show are the waterfront home in Southport owned by the character of Big Jim (Dean Norris); the Pender County Courthouse and surrounding blocks in Burgaw, which act as downtown Chester's Mill; the river pilot tower in Southport that stood in for the WYBS radio station in season one; and Trinity Church in Southport.

When asked just how many locations she finds each season, Barnhill had a little trouble settling on a number.

"There have been so many. Every episode, you might be finding six or more new locations and still going back to some of the ones we have already found. So it is a very location-driven show," she said.

Of all the locations she has scouted for "Under the Dome," Barnhill named the farm owned by Joe and Angie McAlister's family on the show as one of her favorites. Located in Currie, the house took a while for her to find, but once she drove past it, she knew she had found her place. The production visited the property a few times this season, most prominently for the season premiere, when the McAlister house was torn down by the then-magnetic dome.

And while the farm in Currie may have been the first location to come to her mind, Barnhill said it is hard to stick with just one as her favorite.

"There are various ones to be honest. But a lot of them come from the people who have invited us into their lives. They have been so helpful and flexible with our schedules and being able to accommodate us," she said.

As a local locations manager, Barnhill's job is closely tied to the film community and thinks it would be "devastating" if the film incentive, currently up for renewal in the General Assembly, was allowed to expire at year's end.

"It is not just about the film crew. We employ officers at these locations, we help make donations to local schools and churches, and families benefit from the work," Barnhill said.

Barnhill noted that a segment of the community rarely recognized as beneficiaries from local filming are the older homeowners in the area who have graciously opened their doors to the production.

"Many of them aren't working anymore and living off a small income, so to have this extra money from the film business lets them be able to do things they might not be able to do," she said.

Barnhill also believes that the film industry helps foster a unique communal sense of pride, arising from the ways in which a major television show can highlight the region's diverse locales.

"People love being able to turn on the TV and say, 'I just had dinner there!' or 'That's my neighbor's house!'" she said. "When they watch that show, it really brings it home for the people that live here."

With production on the new season of "Under the Dome" already in the bag, all that's left is for the continuing saga of Chester's Mill to unfold on screen. And Barnhill said there is plenty left to look forward to.

"There is a lot of new treats for everybody to tune in and see," she said.

<p>When "Under the Dome" wrapped production on its second season last week, Brooke Barnhill was likely one of the last people off the set.</p><p>Barnhill is the CBS summer series' location manager and has been since the show's first episode shot in Wilmington February of last year.</p><p>As the location manager, Barnhill, who also worked locations on all nine seasons of "<a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news4520"><b>One Tree Hill</b></a>" and the film "Safe Haven," is in charge of scouting locations throughout the region for each episode. She also handles contracts for the locations and manages use of the sites. </p><p>Barnhill's job on "Under the Dome" begins long before the cameras fire up. In fact, when production in March began on the new season, currently airing 10 p.m. Mondays on CBS, Barnhill had already been hard at work since January lining up locations.</p><p>"It all begins with the script. I will sit and read the script and try and get a feel for the character and what's happening in that scene," Barnhill said. "I just take it from there. I'll drive around and try and match that character and the scene to where they want to shoot." </p><p>Among the prominent locations that Barnhill has offered up to the show are the waterfront home in Southport owned by the character of Big Jim (Dean Norris); the Pender County Courthouse and surrounding blocks in Burgaw, which act as downtown Chester's Mill; the river pilot tower in Southport that stood in for the WYBS radio station in season one; and Trinity Church in Southport. </p><p>When asked just how many locations she finds each season, Barnhill had a little trouble settling on a number. </p><p>"There have been so many. Every episode, you might be finding six or more new locations and still going back to some of the ones we have already found. So it is a very location-driven show," she said.</p><p>Of all the locations she has scouted for "Under the Dome," Barnhill named the farm owned by Joe and Angie McAlister's family on the show as one of her favorites. Located in Currie, the house took a while for her to find, but once she drove past it, she knew she had found her place. The production visited the property a few times this season, most prominently for the season premiere, when the McAlister house was torn down by the then-magnetic dome. </p><p>And while the farm in Currie may have been the first location to come to her mind, Barnhill said it is hard to stick with just one as her favorite. </p><p>"There are various ones to be honest. But a lot of them come from the people who have invited us into their lives. They have been so helpful and flexible with our schedules and being able to accommodate us," she said.</p><p>As a local locations manager, Barnhill's job is closely tied to the film community and thinks it would be "devastating" if the film incentive, currently up for renewal in the General Assembly, was allowed to expire at year's end. </p><p>"It is not just about the film crew. We employ officers at these locations, we help make donations to local schools and churches, and families benefit from the work," Barnhill said. </p><p>Barnhill noted that a segment of the community rarely recognized as beneficiaries from local filming are the older homeowners in the area who have graciously opened their doors to the production. </p><p>"Many of them aren't working anymore and living off a small income, so to have this extra money from the film business lets them be able to do things they might not be able to do," she said. </p><p>Barnhill also believes that the film industry helps foster a unique communal sense of pride, arising from the ways in which a major television show can highlight the region's diverse locales.</p><p>"People love being able to turn on the TV and say, 'I just had dinner there!' or 'That's my neighbor's house!'" she said. "When they watch that show, it really brings it home for the people that live here."</p><p>With production on the new season of "Under the Dome" already in the bag, all that's left is for the continuing saga of Chester's Mill to unfold on screen. And Barnhill said there is plenty left to look forward to. </p><p>"There is a lot of new treats for everybody to tune in and see," she said.</p><p>Hunter Ingram: 343-2327</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @WilmonFilm</p>